Vows to the Valiant
by CheerLoveDance
Summary: Sequel to Just the Justice & Mostly the Magnificent; third installment in Rule of the Royals. Lucy meets a troubled, mysterious young man with a secret. Two years later, she finds herself in a serious relationship with him. The sheltered young queen and her family will learn a few things as everything they have ever known about Narnia is revealed to be a lie. Is anyone trustworthy?
1. Prologue

**A/N: Welcome to the third installment in my series of Narnia stories! This one is called ****_Vows to the Valiant._**** If you are a new reader and haven't yet read ****_Just the Justice_**** and ****_Mostly the Magnificent_****, then I strongly suggest you read them before this story. Otherwise, you won't know what's going on.**

**I'm so excited to allow you to read this. I've been planning this for two years, and I can't wait to share what has become of those ideas. Read on to see the prologue!**

\- Prologue -

Some say that human life begins much like a flower. It begins with a seed, sprouts up and begins to grow by learning from mistakes and gaining experience. Then it grows its first petals. Soon after, it becomes a fully grown flower. But as the seasons pass and the flower gets older, it gets old, dried, and wilted. It begins to die. Some plants grow back next spring, but others are done once they're gone.

Lucy Pevensie was one of those fragile, one-chance-to-live flowers. She was sheltered by her siblings from a young age in order to keep her innocent. It was hard for them to accept when she was gone.

No, she didn't die. But everything that made her special did. Her laugh, her smile, her dimples, her freckles, her tall, thin frame. Everything that made her Lucy left that night.

Lucy was one of those flowers.

**A/N: I know it's short, but it's the perfect introduction to what I have coming up. Please review and tell me what you think so far! You could even give me ideas if you'd like. Who knows, I might incorporate them into the story (with credit, of course).**


	2. Chapter 1

\- Chapter 1 -

It was a bright, sunny afternoon in early May. Everything was falling into place again after the long winter. The flowers were blooming, the trees were beginning to replace flowers with leaves, and the April showers had long since left.

To make it all better, Edmund's daughter Adela had recently learned to both walk and talk. At only sixteen months old, she sure was an advanced learner. Avaline, Edmund's girlfriend, was the proudest mother anyone had ever seen.

Peter and Analiese, his wife, had had twins - a baby boy and girl - about a week before the Rose War last winter. They were ten months old now, and their baby teeth were coming in. They had even begun making noises that were sounding more and more like words every day.

Speaking of the Rose War, you may be wondering how it got its name? Because of the treachery that took place from Morgana Tarkheena of Calormen toward King Edmund. But that's another story (see Mostly the Magnificent). Roses symbolize love, and much to Morgana's anger, the love between Edmund and Avaline only grew stronger after the sins that took place during that dark time.

Spring was a time for rebirth and renewal, a time for forgiveness and new love. And boy, was the Narnian monarchy glad it was here.

Susan Pevensie sat on a blanket in the large yard behind Cair Paravel. The magnolia tree she sat under was only a few meters away from the gates to the palace garden, but was a good walking distance from the cliffs. She wore a leaf-colored dress and a pair of plain brown sandals. With her was Caspian.

"Sure is a pretty day," Susan said as she sat back against the tree trunk.

"It is," Caspian agreed. He glanced over at Susan, unable to stop his smile. She was absolutely beautiful. Some women seemed to lose their shine as they got older, but Susan only shined more.

Feeling someone watching her, she turned her head to see Caspian staring. He didn't even bother to look away. He smiled at her sheepishly and looked down. To grab back his attention, Susan leaned in to kiss him on the cheek.

"That's the punishment for staring," she joked.

"I'll have to do so more often, Queen Susan," he said with a show-stopping wink.

Susan rolled her eyes dramatically and laughed. First, because she hated that Caspian still called her "Queen Susan." Though she would be the first to say that his respect toward everyone was part of his charm. Second, because of his adorably witty remarks.

"I don't think I'd object to it," she said. This time, Caspian was the one to start the kiss. He touched his lips to hers in a short but sweet kiss.

Caspian's personality was very modest, much like Susan's. The two of them shared that trait. Their biggest disappointment was finding out that Edmund and Avaline were having Adela. As Edmund's sister, Susan was appalled. She had never seen her brother as someone who would do such a thing, and Caspian thought much the same of Avaline. But as soon as Adela was born, all negative feelings vanished.

Caspian removed his lips from Susan's but remained near to her. His hand rested on the back of her neck just as hers did.

"It is times like these, my Queen, that I fool myself into believing courtship or marriage would be easier," he mumbled in his thick Telmarine accent. She felt his breath touch her face as he spoke. Her eyes shut and she exhaled, memorizing the feeling of being with him.

When she processed his words, Susan pulled back and put her hands in her lap. "You know why we can't do that."

He looked down at the grass beneath him. "I suppose you are right."

Susan grinned at him, this time without as much of a sparkle. She retched over to open the picnic basket next to her. "Now, I'm guessing you'll be wanting a snack?"

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Lucy lay across the hardwood floor of her bedroom. She was stretched out with her back straight against the floor and her hips twisted to one side.

Her back cracked and she closed her eyes. Lately, her muscles had been tightening up quite a bit. It was becoming more and more problematic as time went on, but she knew better than to complain about it. Peter would have her locked in her room for weeks if he thought she was the slightest bit ill or unwell.

She sat up and stared at the wall in front of her. For the past few months, she had been extremely lonely. She had become so used to always having a friend around - whether it be Camden, Reepicheep, or Trumpkin - that when they left, she had experienced what was almost withdrawal.

Her heart throbbed at the thought of Camden. She hadn't seen him in so long. Sometimes she wondered if he missed her. Maybe he hadn't given her a second thought since she left.

Something crept into her mind at the thought of him that made her stand from her spot on the floor. _I can't just sit around all day acting all depressed_, she thought.

So in a few moments, Lucy was in the doorway about to enter the sitting room downstairs. Someone turned around to look at her. It was Peter.

"Lu, by golly, I thought you were going to sit up there all day!"

"Do come join us," Analiese insisted.

The young queen sat next to her niece, who was crawling around on the rug in front of the sofa. Only Peter, Analiese, and their two children were in the room.

"Where are the others?" Lucy asked.

"Susan's outside with Caspian, Edmund's out training the centaurs in fencing, and I assume Avaline is with Adela somewhere," Analiese answered.

There was a pause as everyone watched Cathalina play with a red toy with wheels at the bottom. "How are the twins?"

"They're doing fine. Cathy is obsessed with that toy. I'm not sure where it came from. When I woke this morning, I went to the nursery to check on them and found her playing with it. I've never seen it before in my life."

"It looks like a train," Lucy commented absentmindedly, then froze.

Her forehead wrinkled, the look she often gave when she was deep in thought. She looked a lot like Edmund when she did this, as he often made the same expression.

"What in the world are you talking about, Lu?" Peter said. "What is a train?"

Lucy looked up at him in confusion. "I - I don't know. I vaguely remember seeing one. But it was a long, long time ago."

You see, it had been a while since the Pevensies had lived in England. Nearly three years had passed since they arrived back in Narnia shortly after the war against the Telmarines. And just as had happened during the Golden Age, the four children's memories of home slowly began to dissipate until they were nonexistent.

Analiese shrugged off her sister-in-law's comment. "So, did you hear the news?"

"No, what news?"

"The news about the twins' first birthday party!" When Lucy didn't answer, she continued. "Okay, well it's in just a month and a half. It's going to be a huge celebration. All of my family will be there, as well as all of the high class Narnians and visitors."

"That's wonderful!" Lucy exclaimed.

"I haven't even told you the best part yet, silly! I know how you've been missing him terribly since he left, so I've invited Camden and his mother to join us!"

Lucy could barely contain her excitement. She dashed over to the sofa to embrace her friend. "Oh, thank you!"

Analiese closed her eyes and laughed lightly as she hugged Lucy. "I hoped you would be excited."

"Excited? More like ecstatic! Can the big day be here already?"

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**A/N: I apologize for this chapter being so short! I just wanted to give you all a basic introduction before I fully jumped into the story. Just a short (lol I mean long) note for my reviewers and readers:**

**A few of you said that you haven't yet read the first two stories. Now, please take this is as it is. I understand if you don't have time to read the others, but I think it'd be much easier for you to understand if you did. ****_Just the Justice_**** followed the same basic storyline as the Prince Caspian movie and shared quite a bit of its dialogue. Avaline's part in the story changed a few things and I think it's crucial to read that in order to know Ava's background. ****_Mostly the Magnificent _****focuses on life after Prince Caspian if the Pevensie's returned a year later. There's SO MUCH that happens. If you don't read it, it's impossible for you to grasp what's happening in this story.**

**Like I said, I understand if you can't read it. Thank you all so much for the positive feedback on the prologue, it really was great to read it! Please remember to review this chapter.**


	3. Chapter 2

\- Chapter 2 -

The days passed by slower and slower, or so it seemed to Lucy.

The poor girl could barely stand the wait. The past few months of loneliness had not done her well at all. She was even beginning to have dreams of her friends and flashbacks of old times with them.

It was late on one May afternoon. The sun was setting over the cliffs at the back of Cair Paravel, and beyond that was the wide ocean. Lucy was enjoying the view from the window in front of her desk. Her head was on her hands, her elbows on the desk, and her back slumped.

"Your majesty," said a voice that could only belong to Twinklewing.

She turned around to see him flapping his wings outside of her bedroom door.

"May I come in?" he asked.

She stood from her chair quickly with much enthusiasm and waved him inside. "Of course!"

Twinklewing flew to the end of her bed and landed on the bedpost. Lucy stood across from him and reached to pet his black feathered head.

"What's that in your mouth?" she asked.

"Well, you see," he said, dropping the letter from his beak and into her hands. "I thought you'd want to read this letter as soon as it came. Have you gotten it open yet? Dearness, my Queen, allow me to tear the envelope for you! Do you see who it's from? It's Duke-"

"Camden," she finished for him. A smile spread across her face at the speed of light. She turned to the bird. "Thank you, Twinklewing."

"It's no problem at all, your majesty!"

She unfolded the paper and sat on the edge of the bed. Her left leg was bent beneath her and her right leg was hanging off of the side of the bed. She began to read.

_To My Dearest Friend, Queen Lucy of Narnia,_

_I would like to personally thank you and your family for the invitation to his and her royal highness' birthday party. I will be there. Please be sure to give my thanks to the rest of your family._

_It will be the greatest honor to attend such an exclusive and lavish event._

_I do sincerely hope to see you next week,_

_Duke Camden of Durham_

_Future King of Archenland_

Lucy could barely hide her disappointment. After months of waiting for some form of contact, it was hard to read Camden's letter and know that that was all he could manage to say to her.

They had used to be such good friends. Narnians and Archenlanders alike were convinced that the two would someday marry, and that it would bring the two countries closer in terms of alliance. And to think that such a small thing would cause this sort of silence between them...

Shortly after the war, the family returned to Cair Paravel. Camden joined them. His father had died in the war and he wanted to give his mother space to mourn before he returned home. A brief argument on his sleeping arrangements resulted in him staying in Lucy's bedroom (he slept on the couch; don't judge).

Soon after the twins' coronation, Camden had decided it was time for him to return home to Durham. The only problem was the feelings that he was beginning to form for his friend.

_It was a cool October afternoon. The sun was beginning to set. Autumn leaves fell from the trees, spreading red, orange, and yellow colors over the ground. _

_Camden and Lucy were walking along a stone path in the garden of Cair Paravel. They moved slowly so as to stall the goodbye they both knew was to come._

_"Have I ever told you how much I love daisies?" Camden asked, breaking the silence._

_She looked up at him. "You told me you didn't like flowers."_

_"That would be true. They give me the worst allergies! But I recently began to love daisies. They're that beautiful mixture of creamy white and light yellow. It's the epitome of innocence. They're petite flowers and they're wild in Narnia."_

_"Goodness, I didn't know you were so knowledgeable about daisies!" Lucy laughed._

_He joined in her laughter, admiring how it sounded distinctly like small, ringing bells. "I suppose you don't know a lot about me."_

_"What do you mean?"_

_"Well, I'll admit that you do know me quite well. Better than most anyone else in this world. But there's one thing that I've been trying to find the perfect timing for."_

_"Now sounds like a good time," she grinned, attempting to coax the words out of him._

_"I'm not sure how you'll take it."_

_"I don't see how I could negatively interpret what you're going to say."_

_Camden stopped in the middle of the path and took a deep breath. Lucy stopped in front of him. She watched him closely._

_"I don't want this to be the last chance I get to tell you this. I've been waiting for about a month to make sure it was real before I told you. But since I'm running out of time..." He trailed off._

_Lucy nodded in an effort to show that she was listening._

_"Lucy, I love you."_

_She smiled and touched his cheek. "Aw, Camden, you didn't have to be scared to tell me that. You know that I love you, too!"_

_"No, I mean... I actually love you."_

_Lucy froze in place. Her smile faded. She exhaled a sharp breath through the opening left between her lips._

_"Camden, what-?"_

_"I knew it," he muttered under his breath._

_"No, Cam, where did this come from?"_

_"What do you mean?" he asked. He read her eyes in a way that only a best friend could. "You think I'm making this up."_

_She didn't answer._

_"What, do I have to prove myself to you?"_

_Still no answer._

_"Fine."_

_Without warning, Camden took Lucy's face in both of his hands, holding tight. Then, he kissed her. The chill of the oncoming night's air practically froze her. The warmth of his lips spread throughout her body, making her shiver with the difference in temperature._

_Lucy had never been kissed before, but something about the way Camden kissed her made her feel as if she was a seasoned professional. At only sixteen years old, with the weight of Narnia on her shoulders, she had never had much time to think about boys in that way._

_When he finally pulled back, Lucy couldn't seem to open her eyes. Her lips were still parted. Finally, she looked back at him._

_"Does that prove it?" Camden asked. Try as he might, he couldn't keep his grin away._

_The realization of what he had just done hit Lucy like a brick wall._

_"Why?" was all she could say._

_"What?"_

_"Why did you do that?"_

_He put his palm against his forehead and began pacing up and down the stone pathway. Lucy stared at him absently. She looked as confused as he did angry. After a moment of pacing and muttering to himself under his breath, Camden came to a stop in front of her._

_"I'm guessing that means you don't..."_

_"No," she replied quietly. "I'm sorry."_

_"No, I should be sorry. Lucy, I didn't mean to force myself on you like that. I should have-"_

_"I actually have to go," she said. She began backwards walking toward the back door to the palace. "I hope you have a safe trip."_

And that was the last time they'd seen each other. They hadn't communicated since.

Until now.

Lucy's eyes were brimmed with tears. She blinked rapidly, willing them not to fall. One escaped her careful hold and slipped down her cheek like one quick raindrop holding back a downpour.

The only thing Lucy could get from the letter was the one thing she didn't want to confirm. She now knew where they stood.

In a situation like this, there had to be boundaries. She couldn't discuss the kiss with him. She couldn't talk about romance of any kind with him. All of that was okay, she had all the explanation she wanted on that.

But there was one thing she desperately needed to tell him. One thing she had to get off her chest. She had to tell him that she finally returned his feelings.

Love, how little it means when you're a little too late.

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Avaline made her way through the third floor of Cair Paravel. The open windows allowed the fresh, spring air to flow throughout every room. It gave everyone in the palace a feeling of cheerful enlightenment.

She was headed toward Adela's playroom. When she reached the door, she was surprised to find it was unlocked and left alone. Usually, a guard stood on either side of the door, which was locked.

Brushing it off, Avaline turned the knob. When the door swung open, she found Adela sitting on a bright red rug playing with some wooden blocks. The child looked up when she heard the door opening.

"Mommy!" she exclaimed. She stood - with a bit of trouble - and walked to her mother.

"Hey there, sweetheart," Avaline greeted her. She picked her up and placed her on her hip. The toddler was grinning from ear to ear.

Adela's nurse interrupted the mother/daughter moment. "She was very well-behaved today, your majesty. She is truly a brilliant child. Very advanced for her age."

"Thank you, I appreciate-"

"Hello, my beautiful girls!" someone had said. Avaline turned to find just who she had suspected.

"Hey, Edmund," she smiled as he gave her a quick kiss. "I thought you were working. You're never free at this time."

He smiled that goofy smile that only Edmund could pull off. "A man can come surprise his family, can't he?"

Avaline only laughed.

"Daddy!" Adela called. She wiggled in Avaline's arms.

She put Adela down on the floor. "Okay, wiggle worm!"

The young princess walked only a foot forward to her father and looked up at him excitedly. He leaned down to envelope her in a bear hug.

"Sweet princess," he said.

"Daddy, take me to Aunt Leesy."

"Aunt Leesy? Why do you want to see her?"

"'Cause that's where the cousins are!"

Avaline interjected. "You can take her down to Ana. I have a meeting to go to."

Edmund's face was questioning, but she ignored him.

"I'll see you later, beautiful," she told her daughter. After kissing her forehead, she left.

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"Hey, folks!"

Peter, Analiese, and Susan turned in their chairs to see who was at the library door.

Susan spoke first. "Edmund, I haven't seen you all day."

"You have too. I was at breakfast."

"I'm pretty sure I would have seen if you were at breakfast, Ed."

"Well, sis, that can only mean one thing. I suppose you're going blind."

He turned to Analiese.

"Ana, this kiddo has been nagging me for the past ten minutes to see you."

Analiese stood to take the toddler from his arms. "Aw, has she? How are you, Adela?"

She smiled smugly. "Happy!"

Analiese laughed lightly. "You're happy?"

"Mhmm!"

Peter looked up from his book. "Pretty content with herself, isn't she, Ed?"

Adela answered for him. "Mhmm!"

Her uncle chuckled and continued reading.

Analiese took Adela toward the bookshelves in the back of the library to look for something to read, so Edmund sat down with his siblings.

"So, who else is at this little meeting?" he asked casually.

Susan looked up from the thick novel she had her nose stuffed in and raised an eyebrow. "What meeting?"

"The meeting Ava had to go to."

Peter and Susan exchanged a confused look.

"I haven't heard of a meeting," Peter said.

"That's weird," Edmund muttered.

Susan suggested, "Perhaps she's speaking with Adela's nurse."

"They were speaking when I came in."

"Maybe you interrupted them."

Edmund shook his head. "I don't know."

He didn't know what made him suspicious, but there was something about the way she avoided his look in the nursery that made him wonder what sort of meeting she was attending.

00000000

**A/N: I hope you all liked this chapter a bit more! We're getting into the story a bit further now. Boy, oh BOY do I have some amazing ideas for this story! (There was a bit of foreshadowing in one part of this chapter. See if you can guess what it was!)**

**Blimeylimey21 asked if there's going to be a story focused on Susan and Caspian. I won't completely rule out that idea because I have considered it, but I don't think Susan will have her own story simply because I have things planned for her in this one. And you will hear about Edmund's crown eventually! Also, I promise that all the other characters and romances will not be left out of this story. I still love them too :)**

**Please review and leave your thoughts! I love to see you all ramble btw, just let all of your feelings out!**


	4. Chapter 3

\- Chapter 3 -

It was eight o'clock in the evening when Avaline snuck into Adela's room to kiss her goodnight. She tiptoed toward the crib, careful not to trip on something in the dark room.

She kissed the child's forehead gently. "Goodnight, sweetie," she whispered.

Avaline was just leaving the room when a light suddenly lit the room. She jumped, placing her hand over her heart. Sitting in a rocking chair in the corner of the room was Edmund. He held a book, which he placed on the side table next to him as he rose.

"I was waiting for you," he said. "I didn't know your meeting would be so long."

"Yes, well, you know how royal meetings can be."

He nodded, taking a moment to absorb Avaline's appearance and behavior. She still wore the same clothes she wore earlier that day, but her hair was tied in a quick and careless bun behind her head. She looked shaken, but Edmund gave her a generous pass on this given he had scared her.

"Who was at this meeting?" he asked. He moved to stand by the door.

"Oh, just the usuals. It was nothing, really."

They examined each other for a minute, each wondering why the other was acting so strange.

"Well, it's getting late. I'm heading to bed."

Avaline tried to slip past him to the door. When she was standing in the doorway, her shoulder brushed past him. His hand came up to touch her arm. She paused, looking at him. He looked back at her and tried to find a sign that he should be suspicious of her, but there were none. Just her wide eyes staring back at him.

"Goodnight, Avaline."

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Analiese and Peter sat silently in their room. Analiese was lying in the bed, propped up by two pillows. She was reading one of the books Susan had recommended to her (it was a love story about a minotuar falling in love with a centaur even though it was forbidden). Peter sat in his armchair reading a letter from a friend of his in Archenland.

Analiese suddenly put down her book and sat up.

"Peter, can we talk?" she asked.

He looked up in surprise. "Sure."

Peter came over to sit on the bed with her. "What is it?"

"Our anniversary was today."

His eyebrows rose and an apologetic look replaced the confused one.

"By the Mane, it was! I'm so sorry, Ann, I-"

"You don't have to be sorry. It really isn't even that big of a deal. I just had a question for you."

"Ask me anything," he replied.

"Peter, are we in love?"

"I-"

His voice trailed off because, as it turns out, he wasn't sure. Peter had never been in love. He knew he loved his family, and Analiese was part of his family, but was he _in _love with her?

She looked down. "I get it. It's fine."

"No, Ana, I didn't-"

"I'm tired. Goodnight."

She reached over to blow out the light. She was asleep soon after.

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The next morning, Lucy woke with a goal: to find the very best dress and hairstyle to wear for the twins' birthday party. Halfway through her shopping trip in the market area, she realized that her hopes were much harder to achieve than she had originally thought. She had sought out four different seamstresses. They had looked at Lucy's sketch of the dress she wanted, and all of them had turned her down.

She was almost ready to give up and simply wear one of her old dresses. Then, she saw a sign propped up against a wooden cart on the side of the street. The sign read, "I Can Make Any Piece of Clothing You Wish. 200 Coins."

As Lucy eagerly approached the cart, she noticed an elderly woman sitting in a beat-up chair beside it.

"Good morning," Lucy greeted the woman. "I was wondering if you could make a dress for me? Everyone else has turned me down, and I saw your sign. It would mean a great deal."

The woman narrowed her eyes and looked at Lucy up and down. "We're closed," she said gruffly.

"But it's not even noon yet," Lucy objected.

"We're closed."

"Please, I need this dress badly."

"I said I'm closed, young lady. Now I suggest you go run on your way."

Lucy turned her head to the side in deep thought. She wondered how she could convince the woman to at least look at her sketch. A thought struck her suddenly.

"Would you make this dress if I was the Queen of Narnia?"

The woman looked her over again, then seemed to finally recognize her. She struggled to stand and when she did, she bowed and kissed Lucy's hands.

"Forgive me, your majesty! I didn't recognize you!"

"It really is okay."

"How can I repay you? I feel bad for being so disrespectful to my queen."

"All I need is to have this dress made by the end of the week."

The woman took the sketch from Lucy's hand and looked it over. "Your majesty, I would be flattered to make this dress for you, but my supplies are few and I don't have such expensive materials."

"Well, the girls who usually are in charge of our wardrobe are out of town, which is why I sought out for someone else. Their materials are still in their workroom. You're welcome to use those."

"Oh, I couldn't!" the woman exclaimed.

"No, I insist," Lucy said with her signature warm smile.

A smile even greater than Lucy's swept the elderly woman's face.

"I've never been more excited then to be working on a dress for my favorite queen!"

Lucy put her arm around the woman. She carried the woman's basket of sewing tools as they began walking down the street toward Cair Paravel. She stopped suddenly and turned to the woman.

"I almost forgot to ask... What should I call you?" Lucy asked.

The woman said, "I am Mrs. Hilbert, your majesty."

"Pleased to meet you, Mrs. Hilbert!"

The two of them linked arms and returned to their travels back to the palace.

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"Lucy, how in the world did you find such a wonderful seamstress?" Susan asked.

The whole family was sitting around the dinner table in the dining hall. All of them were seated in their usual places. Adela, Cathalina, and Kingston sat at the "kids' table" in the corner. Since the twins were too young to sit in a regular chair, they sat in chairs with a wooden bar in front so they wouldn't fall forward.

"She just happened to have her sign out and I saw it. I can't believe I hadn't heard of her before!" Lucy said.

Analiese cut in. "You're actually trying to say that this was just a stroke of luck? The woman's amazing! I've never seen such a diligent worker in my life!"

"I think you should ask her to work here," Susan suggested. "It would be a shame to lose someone with such talent."

"I agree," Analiese said.

"Okay, after dinner!" said Lucy.

They continued eating. After a moment of silence, Susan spoke again.

"I just noticed Avaline is missing. Does anyone know where she is?"

"Told me she's going to some meeting again," Edmund answered. "Said she'd be back by the time Adela was put to bed."

"Isn't this the second meeting she's attended today?" Susan asked.

"Yeah."

"The second?" Lucy questioned. "This is the first I've heard of."

Susan began to explain. "Well, you missed lunch when you went to town today. She wasn't here for lunch. She came back to hang in the library for about an hour and then left again. I figured she was going to take a nap or play with Adela, but apparently not."

"Did we ever find out what the meeting last night was about?" Analiese asked.

Edmund and Susan shook their heads.

"That's strange. I'm sure it's important, though. She wouldn't miss family meals for nothing."

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A month passed and the nights continued with less and less appearances from Avaline.

One night, she was absent from dinner and returned to her room at eight o'clock.

The night after that, she was missing from lunch and on till dinner. No one saw her until half past seven.

The next day, yet another absence. Only this time, she missed all three meals. She didn't get back to her room until ten o'clock.

The day after this was Friday. Avaline didn't make an appearance until late that night.

The lights in her private bedroom were off when she snuck in. She had suspected this, considering no one had been in the room since that morning, so she carried a small candle with her as a guide. She saw that the clock on the north wall read 12:04 AM. Everyone was usually asleep by this time. There was an even bigger chance that they were all sleeping tonight, since the next day would be a long day of last-minute planning for the twins' party on Sunday.

The past month had gone by with little sleep and much to do. The daily meetings that were held at varying hours of the night had her exhausted by the time she got to her room. She hadn't said more than two words to Edmund that week. It wasn't because she was mad at him, she was just busy.

She knew they'd been talking about her. It was obvious. The palace employees had started gossiping, as well. She had heard a few of the stories they'd made up regarding her absence.

One of the stories doubted her faithfulness to Edmund. Another questioned whether she was hiding a pregnancy. Yet another thought that she was having problems with Edmund and was avoiding him.

All of these were problems that normal people had, not Avaline. Her problems were much bigger than that.

Avaline snapped out of her thoughts when something tapped against her window three times. It was a loud tapping that couldn't be made by anything other than a living creature. She cautiously walked to the window and opened it, looking out. She was startled by the dwarf hanging on to a vine that was attached to the outside wall of the palace.

"Nikabrik, goodness, what are you doing here?" Avaline asked.

"Shhh!" he hushed her. "Well, are you going to invite me in? I can't hang here forever, and we have a lot to discuss."

She moved out of the way of the window so that he could climb inside the room. Once the dwarf was safely inside, she shut the window and made sure the bedroom door was locked.

"Where were you tonight?" she asked. "You know how important this meeting was."

"I had other business to take care of," he replied.

"I can't imagine what could've been more important than this!"

"I wouldn't ditch if it wasn't important. My apologies, my Queen," he said her name with a sarcastic snarl. "Not that you deserve that title."

She rolled her eyes. "Get to the point, alright? It's late."

"We've arranged a royal tour of sorts. You'll be gone for a while, but we have to choose the perfect time for you to leave."

"Wait... how long will I be gone?"

"We have a while to think through details like that. It depends on how things go here."

Avaline sighed. "I need to know the details a month in advance, Nikabrik."

Nikabrik narrowed his eyes. "Don't start being demanding now, queeny. Wouldn't want the truth to accidentally be leaked to the kingdom."

Her face expressed confusion.

"Don't play dumb. You know what I'm talking about."

The dwarf began to go back toward the window. When he was sitting in the window with one leg in the room and the other outside, he turned back to her.

"Don't forget that you owe me."

Then he left, leaving only the open window and its hauntingly warm breeze behind.

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**A/N: Sorry this was on the shorter side, but hopefully this was exciting enough! I'm wondering if you guys will be able to figure out Avaline's secret before I tell you! Tell me your theories below, I love reading them! The next few chapters will revolve around Lucy quite a bit since good ole Camden's coming back for a visit. I really love writing things about them. I love you guys; don't forget to review please!**


	5. Chapter 4

**A/N: Hey, guys! So you all know that I don't like authors notes at the beginning of chapters, but I just thought I'd start by announcing that I just posted the prologue for my new fanfiction for The Royals. (The Royals is a new show on E. William Moseley, who plays Peter in thr Narnia movies, plays Prince Liam on the show. It's about a fictional, modern-day royal family. My description won't do it justice, so I'm not going to try to explain it, but you should check it out! Season 2 airs in November.) Anyway, my story is called ****_The Perfect Storm_**** (you'll understand the title if you've seen the show). Please check it out! Alright, you can read what you came here for now lol.**

\- Chapter 4 -

\- Chapter 4 -

"I'm so sick of parties," Edmund grumbled to Lucy as everyone applauded the High King's family of four.

"They're not that bad!" Lucy replied. "Especially if you'd expand your social circle for a change."

"I like talking with Avaline just fine, thank you."

"I'm sure she'd like to talk to someone other than you, though."

Edmund rolled his eyes and walked off. The twins' first birthday party had begun, which meant it was time for him to find a corner to sulk in and a glass of wine to drink.

"Your majesty."

He turned to see a young man standing behind him. The man bowed.

"Good evening," Edmund said. His tone was sarcastic, but the man didn't seem to catch it.

"I must say, this party is divine. Queen Susan truly outdid herself."

"It wasn't Susan."

The man seemed surprised. "Queen Susan didn't plan this? I thought she planned all of the royal balls and such."

"She does, but Lucy did this time."

"She did? Wow, this is great for a first-time party planner."

Edmund nodded. They stood in awkward silence for a few moments.

"King-"

"What's your name?"

The man was taken aback by the king's question. "Uh, I am Sir Aldric, your majesty."

"Good to meet you."

"Yes, and you, my king. I was just going to ask where your beautiful girlfriend is."

"Avaline? She's not here."

"And I noticed the princess isn't about, either."

Edmund looked over Aldric's shoulder for his niece. "Cathalina is with Analiese, the last time I checked."

"No, my king. I'm talking about your daughter."

Edmund sighed. "Oh. Adela. She's with her mother."

Aldric turned his head away after hearing Edmund's answer. Edmund watched him, then said irritably, "Why are you asking so many questions?"

"I saw you standing alone, your majesty. I only meant to keep you company."

"No, you had an ulterior motive."

Aldric's gaze shifted to the door leading to the hallway.

"Follow me."

Edmund walked behind Aldric as he led him through twists and turns in the palace that Edmund himself barely remembered how to maneuver.

Halfway through the walk, Edmund stopped.

"How do you know your way through the palace like this?" he demanded.

Aldric paused but only turned his head to look back. "You're about to find out. Just be patient."

So Edmund began walking after him again until they finally reached a door made of dark wood with bronze door handles. He had never seen the door in his life. But he entered the room he realized where he was.

He was on the staircase to the north tower. It had been abandoned for years. As far as he knew, no one had climbed its stairs since the early days of his reign during the Golden Age.

Aldric stopped and looked at Edmund. "Do you know why we're here?"

"No..." he answered.

"You don't have a guess?"

Edmund, being in a bad mood, was lacking patience. "Listen here, I'm the king of Narnia. I don't play guessing games."

"King Edmund, I have information that I happen to know you've been fishing for."

"And what would that be?"

"It's regarding Queen Avaline. But this information is confidential. No one can know what I'm about to tell you."

"Tell me everything."

And so Aldric's story began.

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Lucy stood on a balcony overlooking the wide ocean. The party had begun half an hour ago. Only a handful of her friends had shown up, so she chatted with them and left. If she had stayed at the party with all of those strangers, she wouldn't have been able to think. And she needed to. She needed the fresh air.

Amongst the noises of the crashing waves, she caught the sound of footsteps coming up behind her. She didn't bother to look; she knew who it was.

"I didn't think you'd show up," she said.

"Have I ever lied to you?" a young man's voice asked.

"No."

"Right," he said. "So why wouldn't I be here?"

By now, he had reached her. His face was next to hers, his chest against her back. She turned around to smile at her. She gasped when he wrapped his arms around her in a hug.

"It feels like it's been forever, Cam," she said.

Lucy suddenly snapped into the present. The footsteps were coming closer, gently hitting the ground while the waves outside pounded the shore.

She turned around to see the same man from her daydream, only this version of him was reserved, with a cold, careful face.

"Camden," she said.

"Hey, Luce."

He came forward, but stopped before he got too close. He didn't touch her.

"How are you?" he asked.

"Fine."

"Really, though?"

"Really."

"Good..." he trailed off. "So, I should probably say hi to Analiese."

"Right," Lucy said.

He stared at her for a long time.

"What?" she asked.

"Nothing, you just look, uh, really good."

She looked down at her dress. Mrs. Hilbert had created an incredible gown that exhibited all of Lucy's assets while also staying more modest than most of the women at the party.

"Thanks," she said. Her cheeks were turning pink, she could feel it.

"Alright, well..."

"Well..."

"I'll see you soon," he said.

To Lucy's shock, he leaned in, put his hands on either side of her face, and kissed her forehead.

"Goodnight, Lucy."

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"I really hate this," Peter said as he flopped onto the bed.

"What?" Analiese asked.

They had just finished up with the party. The others were downstairs cleaning up, but they let Peter and Analiese go so that they could get the twins to bed.

"This thing with Avaline. She took Adela with her today. I just think it's starting to get weird."

Analiese walked over to the mirror that hung over the dresser. She began to take out her braided hairdo.

"Edmund hasn't said anything about it recently, has he?"

"He still hasn't figured out what's going on."

"Well, I say we should let them figure it out. They have a child that bonds them together, as well as a kingdom that they run together. They won't break up because of this."

Peter nodded.

"If I were you, I'd be more worried about your sister."

"Susan?" he asked.

"No. Lucy. Something happened between her and Camden a few months ago and she hasn't been the same since."

"What?"

"You'll be mad."

Peter rolled his eyes. "Really?"

"He kissed her before he left for Durham. He was here tonight and I'm assuming they saw each other, and I'm not sure what happened. I'm planning to talk to her tomorrow."

"Do you mind doing that? I'm surprised she didn't tell me."

"Peter, it doesn't surprise me at all that she didn't tell you. You're her older brother. I don't know a girl in the world that would talk to her brother about her first kiss."

"I guess so."

"Yeah," Analiese said. She climbed onto the bed and kissed him. "Goodnight."

"Goodnight, Ana."

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Two hours after the party had ended, Edmund was in his bed wondering where to go next. Not only did Aldric have an explanation for everything, he also had a request.

The problem was, Edmund didn't know if he could fulfill that request.

Aldric didn't want to tell him about Avaline until Edmund guaranteed him a place in his sister's heart. Which was impossible. Edmund knew good and well that Lucy's heart was already taken. It seemed there was no way he could get information on Avaline without involving his sister.

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**A/N: So I know all of you are probably ready to rip your hair out because I haven't posted a chapter in almost 2 weeks (I think that's how long it's been). But I'm super sorry about that. I haven't been feeling well and I had a lot going on, but I think it's all better now so I'll be writing more again. Remember to review! What do you think about Avaline? And what about Camden and Lucy's awkwardness? Can you guess what Aldric said?**


	6. Chapter 5

\- Chapter 5 -

"Did everyone enjoy the party?" Lucy asked the next morning.

The family had just finished breakfast and was now in the sitting room. Everyone except Avaline, but by now, Edmund had grown used to her absence. As long as she left Adela with him, he was fine.

"I liked it," Peter said. "It was different than our usual parties."

"Honestly, Susan, you should just let Lucy plan them from now on. Yours are always the same thing," Edmund said.

"What's that supposed to mean?" Susan asked defensively. She crossed her arms.

"Queen Susan, if you don't mind, I must agree with your brothers," Caspian chimed in.

"If you like Lucy's parties so much, then fine. She can plan them."

Susan stood and was just about to leave the room when Peter called out to her.

"Now, Su, come back here. We were just messing with you. You know we enjoy your parties."

"Oh, so now you didn't enjoy mine?" Lucy asked, raising her eyebrows and crossing her arms.

From the back of the room came a loud sigh and an irritated voice, "Women."

Everyone turned around to look at Adela. She had followed her aunts' lead and was sitting on her father's lap with her arms crossed and her lips pouted. It took a moment for everyone to register what Adela had just said, but when they did, they couldn't stop laughing.

"Sarcasm must run in the blood," Susan laughed.

"Yeah, it looks like she's taking after her father," Peter added.

Edmund looked down at his daughter with a small, sad smile. "Well, it's not like she gets much of a chance to take after her mother."

The family froze. There was an awkward silence in which no one knew what to say. Finally, Lucy decided to be the first to speak.

"We're sorry, Ed. We didn't mean to-"

"No, I shouldn't have reacted like that. I know you were just joking around," he replied. "You don't have to apologize."

"Have you figured out where she's been going?" Peter asked.

Edmund froze. He hadn't been expecting that question. "Uh, no. Not yet."

"You sound unsure," Susan pointed out.

"I'm not," Edmund replied, but his response came a little too quickly.

Susan and Peter exchanged a disbelieving look. Through that look, Peter understood exactly what Susan was alluding to. He gave her a small nod and stood up while looking at his brother.

"Walk with me," Peter said.

Edmund watched Peter as he walked out of the room. Then, he handed Adela to Susan, who immediately started chatting with her niece.

When Edmund reached the spot where Peter was waiting for him in the hallway, he stopped. Peter stood in silence, just staring at him.

"What?" he finally asked.

Peter shrugged. "I'm just trying to understand why you were lying in there."

"What are you talking about?"

"Ed, don't play dumb. You know that was a lie. You're really not a good liar."

Edmund looked to the side and blew out the breath he'd been holding.

"You'll be angry."

"Just tell me the truth, Ed."

"Fine. I met some man at the party last night - Aldric, I think he was - and he told me he knew what was going on with Avaline. He promised he'd tell me if I gave him something in return."

Edmund looked up to gauge his brother's reaction. Peter was silent, so he continued.

"He told me what was going on, but in return, I promised him..." Edmund sighed. "I promised him Lucy's hand."

It took a moment for Peter to grasp the meaning of Edmund's words. When he did, his face turned cold as ice.

"Her hand... You promised a complete stranger that my little sister's would _marry_ him?!"

"Calm down, Pete. I'm the King of Narnia. I don't have to go through with it. He better be lucky that I didn't have him arrested for withholding information."

Peter threw his hands up. "No, there's nothing you can do to turn this around now. Do you know how bad it would sound if news of this got out?"

Edmund was silent.

"And now, you have messed with our sister's life by promising her something that she shouldn't have to have!"

Edmund took a step toward his brother and began shouting back, pleased when all Peter could do was blink in shock. "If you'll recall, Peter, your marriage wasn't by choice, either!"

"Do you think I wanted this?" Peter exclaimed, motioning around him. "Do you think I wanted to have my life chosen for me?"

Edmund took two steps back, eyes wide in astonishment. "But you love-"

Peter laughed maniacally. "Yes, but I love her, don't I? Edmund, have you ever considered how unhappy my life would be if I didn't at least try to get along with her?"

Edmund could barely wrap his brain around what he was hearing. Did Peter understand what he was saying? He watched as his older brother began pacing a short distance along the hallway. Pacing was something Peter often did in tense situations to calm himself.

Peter began speaking again. "I do like Analiese. She's a sweet girl and a great mother. But I don't love her, and I was never in love with her. Around the time of our disappearance, I was suddenly struck with the realization that I didn't love her. I tried ignoring her, I played with the idea of ending the marriage, but I couldn't do it."

"Why?" Edmund asked.

"Because she was pregnant. I could do that to her, or to my kids."

"Oh," Edmund said quietly.

Peter walked toward Edmund. His eyes softened in sympathy for his sister. "I don't want this life for Lucy. She's such a special girl. She deserves someone who can see that light in her. And whoever this man is that you struck a deal with, he isn't the one for her. Camden is."

"You know about Camden?"

Peter nodded. "I think we all do. It's hard to miss. She follows him like a puppy."

Both brothers laughed quietly over the thought of their youngest sister with her friend.

"I'm sorry, Pete."

"I understand, you wanted to know what Avaline is hiding. I do, too. But risking our sister's happiness wasn't the way to do that."

Peter began walking back to the sitting room. He had just turned the corner in the hallway when he came face to face with the last person he wanted to hear their conversation.

Analiese.

Her eyes were red and her cheeks were shining with tears.

"What you said... Was that true?"

Peter couldn't catch his thoughts. He just stood before her, staring with at her with wide eyes.

"You may not love me, but I do love you. And I love our two children. They're the heirs to the throne you're sitting on. They may not be High King and Queen, but they're going to amount to something. But if you mention this, or repeat anything that you just said to Edmund, to anyone, I'll take the kids and leave. I won't come back, and you won't have any kids to pass the crown to."

"I'll have you arrested for treachery."

"Are you threatening me?" she asked.

"No, not yet."

And he left.

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**A/N: I'm so sorry for the short chapter and the two-week wait! I've been super busy and I've had some major writer's block, but I'm working on writing more. Hopefully we'll be back on my writing schedule soon. Don't forget to review, and thanks for the support!**


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